Steam announcement countdown..

[Asmo]

That Cat is going to be minced by that rather enormous fan.

Free Linux OS with default games setup eh? I'm listening....

Wait a minute, maybe I'm reading this wrong - are they saying the OS is going to run installed games, or are they saying it's just to run their own streaming system?

 

[Crionic]

You can play all your Windows and Mac games on your SteamOS machine, too. Just turn on your existing computer and run Steam as you always have - then your SteamOS machine can stream those games over your home network straight to your TV!

For me, this sounds like you can run installed (Linux) games. The machine, you install SteamOS on, just has to have enough power to run the game. Considering this, I assume the SteamBox to be just a basic HTPC optimized for streaming.

Edit:

The magic keyword here is 'too'. This is why I assume you can run installed games.

 

[_jr_]

To me this reads very much like it does not run the games locally but requires a windows/whatever computer to run them, but i suck at English.

 

[Asmo]

The statement is a bit opaque. I'm guessing that it will (assuming sufficient power) run their Linux games natively, but it seems to be pushing the media streaming as it's principal function, which is a bit underwhelming.

 

[elwing]

depends, a completely plug an play game streaming solution that is both cheap and without any monthly fee or something like that to play the game you already own would rock, I'd buythat directly if the price is low enough..

 

[Mr_Loon]

Steam OS sounds interesting.


I hope you'll be able to install and run none Steam software on it.


It might make an interesting alternative OS for a laptop / hand held gaming mini computer with the Shield like streaming ability.


Interesting times.

 

[Crionic]

Then let's hope they'll do an ARM version

 

[WizardStan]

Then let's hope they'll do an ARM version

"Freely licensable operating system for manufacturers" suggests to me that even if they don't, EvilDragon (as a manufacturer) could sign their documents and get the source code to have one of his "employees" do the port work. Or I guess Nvidia or someone else with an actual team of developers, whatever. That is assuming that Steam's other claims to "openness" mean what they seem to be suggesting.

ooo, I think I got it. SteamOS was the first announcement: a single circle. The second announcement is a circle in a box: SteamBox, official Valve hardware I bet. But what could that third one mean? Circle plus circle...

 

[ekianjo]

No official steambox is to be expected. Valve mentioned they have no interest to do hardware. A partner could, though.

Then let's hope they'll do an ARM version

Its not because you have an Arm version that games compiled for x86 would ever run on Arm. Stop dreaming.

 

[Mr_Loon]

...

Then let's hope they'll do an ARM version

Its not because you have an Arm version that games compiled for x86 would ever run on Arm. Stop dreaming.

The streaming functionality could be introduced for ARM based systems though.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

"How to derail an OP boards thread nowadays."

ARM > x86

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

... But what could that third one mean? Circle plus circle...

=

 

[Linux-SWAT]

Nice spot !

 

[vcoleiro1]

The cat is actually the console.  2 analogue ear shaped joysticks, and 3 trigger buttons each side.

 

[Linux-SWAT]

The cat is actually the console.  2 analogue ear shaped joysticks, and 3 trigger buttons each side.

What's the hole for ? USB port ?

 

[ekianjo]

The streaming functionality could be introduced for ARM based systems though.

Yeah but it's not like that's the feature most people want anyway, because you'll still need a windows/Linux PC behind to do the heavy lifting. I see this as just a temporary solution until they have AAA titles for the system running natively on linux - and this won't be ARM-based. 

 

[ekianjo]

After seeing the announcement I feel it is a little underwhelming, but let's see the next 2 ones. 

Now I guess they will talk about:

- The controller they have been working on... which may be something innovative. 

- A potential hardware partner... for a potential Steambox ? But it does not seem to be the direction anymore.

- A game announcement ? Again, this does not seem to be related anymore. 

It could as well be that the next announcements are a bit underwhelming, too. 

 

[elwing]

The streaming functionality could be introduced for ARM based systems though.

Yeah but it's not like that's the feature most people want anyway, because you'll still need a windows/Linux PC behind to do the heavy lifting. I see this as just a temporary solution until they have AAA titles for the system running natively on linux - and this won't be ARM-based. 

I'm personally really interested if that allow me to buy a random cheap thin client for <100$ rather than having to buy an HTPC powerful enough to run the game on it (that would mean both a much higher price and a much higher power consumption as my main PC is generally on anyway...

 

[SeeThruHead]

This is pretty much the best thing I've seen in a long while. Needs to be able to run XBMC and it will be the perfect HTPC for me.  I've already got the Windows pc to stream from, as well as the powerful htpc to convert to steamOS. As long as streaming is lag free it will be better than my current xbmc/steam driven gaming htpc.

 

[Crionic]

The streaming functionality could be introduced for ARM based systems though.

Yeah but it's not like that's the feature most people want anyway, because you'll still need a windows/Linux PC behind to do the heavy lifting. I see this as just a temporary solution until they have AAA titles for the system running natively on linux - and this won't be ARM-based. 

I think everyone here knows, that AAA titles won't be ported to ARM in the near future. When talking about SteamOS to be ported to ARM, it's just the streaming feature we are considering.